To combat against the Non-communicable Diseases (NCDs) Health Ministry is seeking assistance from the United Nations Interagency Task Force (UNIATF).
It is a team comprising of different members from United Nations Organizations.
The joint mission will help Bhutan in meeting the commitments made by Heads of States and Governments in the 2011 political declaration on NCDs.
The team from UNIATF on the Prevention and Control of NCDs is meeting with the different stakeholders in the country.
The joint UNIATF mission will help the UN agencies and international development partners to work together in supporting national efforts of prevention and controlling NCDs.
They will also help the government in laying the foundation for a national multi-sectoral response to NCDs
“The government of Bhutan asked the UN assistance to come here and provide support. The problems we are particularly focusing on are cancers, heart diseases, diabetes and chronic lung diseases,” said the head of UNIATF, Dr. Nick Banatvala.
Till Friday, the team will be meeting with relevant stakeholders and agencies to identify the gaps in addressing priority NCDs risk factors, implementation and coordination challenges among others.
The chief program officer of Department of Public Health, Kinga Jamphel said the health ministry has come up with plans to combat NCDs like multi-sectoral action plan for five years.
After meeting with the stakeholders, UNIATF team will make recommendations to the Health Ministry.
More than 50 percent of the deaths in the country occur due to non communicable diseases.
According World Health Organization, more than 90 percent of the premature deaths from NCDs mostly occur in low and middle-income countries.
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